Ruto Announces Nationwide Fencing Of All Forests & Ksh900M Compensation For Kenyans
Ruto indicated that the fencing exercise targeting the gazetted forests will protect them from degradation and illegal activities and enhance their conservation.
Marvin Chege 
President William Ruto has announced that his government will fence all gazetted forests in the country in a bid to protect them from encroachment leading to deforestation.
The Head of State spoke on Friday, April 12 during the official launch of the Lariak forest fencing project, in Laikipia County, whose construction is projected to take six months to complete.
The 56-kilometre fence will cover an area of 5,134 hectares and will also help provide a permanent solution to the perennial human-wildlife conflict, that has in the past resulted in loss of lives and livelihoods.
Ruto indicated that the fencing exercise targeting the gazetted forests will protect them from degradation and illegal activities and enhance their conservation.
President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua look on as Environment CS Soipan Tuya addresses a gathering in Laikipia County on April 12, 2024. /KENYA FOREST SERVICE
To also ensure the protection of wildlife, the Head of State directed a team led by Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS) Alfred Mutua to map all the areas that need to be fenced and furnish the government with the amount that would be required for the exercise.
"Do mapping of all areas that require mapping so that we ensure that in the next five years, we can fence off all the areas to eliminate human-wildlife conflict.
"Tell us how much is needed and how much distance will be covered," he stated.
At the same time, the President told the gathering that the government had set aside Ksh900 million to compensate victims of human-wildlife conflict.
He further directed the Ministry of Tourism to compensate Kenyans who were owed millions for human-wildlife conflicts, noting that Ksh3 billion was yet to be paid out to 7,000 Kenyans.
That payment, he ordered, should be made within the next 60 days.
While addressing the same gathering, the CS for Environment Climate Change and Forestry Soipan Tuya noted the huge contribution of Community Forest Associations (CFA) and assured them that they will still have access to carry out their activities according to their participatory forest management plans.
She thanked her counterpart in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Mutua for taking the lead in the project noting that both forests and wildlife will thrive in a secure ecosystem.
Also present during the event were Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, the Governor of Laikipia County Joshua Irungu, the Principal Secretary for Forestry Gitonga Mugambi and the Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko among other leaders.
